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Friday, July 5, 2013

MS and Your Diet: Is There a Link?

Many foods have been touted as helpful for people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Do they work?

"There are strong reasons to think that diet could affect MS symptoms and even help treat it," says neurologist Ellen Mowry, MD, of Johns Hopkins University.

But although a healthy diet is always a good idea, there is no proof that any diet or food, on its own, treats MS.

If you want to try changing your diet to see if it helps your MS, do your homework. Make sure you've got good information from a reliable source, that you'll get all the nutrients you need, and talk with your doctor before making major changes.

You may have heard about certain nutrients or dietsfor MS. One thing to keep in mind is that there hasn't been a lot of research done in this area, and there aren't solid results showing benefits.

For instance:

Oil change. Some early studies showed promise in a diet low in saturated fat and supplemented with omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids. But 2012 review of research did not find any benefit for omega-3s and omega-6s. So for now, the findings are mixed.

Vitamin D. Low levels of vitamin D are linked with more severe MS symptoms. The body makes vitamin D when exposed to sunlight, and MS is more common in parts of the world that get less direct sun.

Does that mean that taking vitamin D supplements will help? That's not certain. "I think the evidence that vitamin D supplements could help is pretty strong, but we don't know for sure," says Mowry, who is leading two studies of vitamin D and MS. Before trying vitamin D supplements, ask your doctor to test your vitamin D blood level and ask their advice on how much you should take.

Diets that people have promoted for MS include:

Gluten-free diet. Cutting out gluten is popular. But there's no evidence it helps people with MS, says Allen C. Bowling, MD, PhD, medical director of the Multiple Sclerosis Service at the Colorado Neurological Institute and author ofComplementary and Alternative Medicine and Multiple Sclerosis.

Swank diet. This diet, developed over 60 years ago, has very low levels of saturated fats. Though some studies have shown promise, none has shown a convincing benefit, Bowling says. "I don’t think the Swank diet is harmful, but it’s hard to stick to," he says.

Wahls diet. This diet emphasizes fruits and vegetables -- 9 cups a day - but no studies have shown a clear result. Bowling believes its emphasis on certain nutrients leads some followers to “use high doses of many supplements.” He cautions that the safety of such high doses has not been proven. Discuss any supplements you're taking with your doctor, even if the products are natural.

3 comments:

I have been on a "wheat free, flour free" diet for 5 months now and have found it to be very helpful with weight and stomach upset. Since I have only been on Tecfidera 5 days and Ampyra 6 days, I have not had stomach, bowel issues. Hoping this diet with keep those issues away.

I have been on a "wheat free, flour free" diet for 5 months now and have found it to be very helpful with weight and stomach upset. Since I have only been on Tecfidera 5 days and Ampyra 6 days, I have not had stomach, bowel issues. Hoping this diet with keep those issues away.

I have been following the Swank Diet with a few tweeks for almost 8 years. I have shown remarkable improvement. The "neurologist" I was seeing recommended against against the diet, but HE IS TOO STUPID TO FILL OUT A STUDENT LOAD DISCHARGE FORM. If he is not competent enough to fill out paperwork how could he possibly provide any useful input on my treatment?

SYMPTOMS of MS

In multiple sclerosis , damage to the myelin in the central nervous system (CNS), and to the nerve fibers themselves, interferes with the transmission of nerve signals between the brain and spinal cord and other parts of the body. This disruption of nerve signals produces the primary symptoms of MS, which vary depending on where the damage has occurred.

Over the course of the disease, some symptoms will come and go, while others may be more lasting.

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"Stu's Views & MS News" / 'MS Views and News' DOES NOT endorse any products or services found on this blog. It is up to you to seek advice from your healthcare provider. The intent of this blog is to provide information on various medical conditions, medications, treatments, and procedures for your personal knowledge and to keep you informed of current health-related issues. It is not intended to be complete or exhaustive, nor is it a substitute for the advice of your physician. Should you or your family members have any specific medical problem, seek medical care promptly

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